Antenna mounting-for torpedoes



March 19, 1929.

J. H. HAMMOND, JR

ANTENNA MOUNTING FOR TORPEDOES Original Filed March 19, 1921 INVENTO%ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 19, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

, JQHN HAYS HAMMOND, JR., OF GLOUCESTER, MASSACH USETTS.

ANTENNA MOUNTING-FOR TORPEDOES.

Application filed March 19, 1921, Serial No. 453,637. Renewed October12, 1927.

Some of the objects of the present invention are to provide means forcausing an antenna to assume an operative position behind the torpedoafter the torpedo has been launched; to provide means for supporting anantenna upon a torpedo in a normally inoperative po- I sition wherebythe launchin of the torpedo acts to release the antenna or movement toits operative position; to provide self-releas-' Referring to thedrawings, one form of the present invention is shown in Figs. 1 and 2consisting of the after body of a torpedo 10 having the usual sets ofpropellers 11 and 12 which are arranged to be driven in the customarymanner. For steering the torpedo 10 in a horizontal plane, verticalrudders 13 and 14 are provided, these being supported respectively byposts 15 and 16 which are rigid with the torpedo body 10. Forcontrolling the torpedo 10 in a vertical plane, rudders 17 and 18 areprovided, these being supported respectively by posts 20 and 21 rigidwith the torpedo body 10.

For the purpose of receiving signals of any suitable character from adistant point or I station, the torpedo 10 is provided with an antenna22, here shown in the form of a coil of wire covered by suitableinsulating material which will not be affected by being immersed in seawater. This wire is coiled about a tubular member 23 of insulatingmaterial, one

, of its ends passing within said member 23, to

be made fast thereto, and the other end passing through an insulatingblock 24 into the interior of the torpedo 10 where it isconnected to thewireless apparatus.

- In order to support the antenna 22 upon the torpedo 10, when thelatter is not in operation, and yet in a manner whereby the an tenna 22automatically assumes a position at the rear of the torpedo 10 as soonas the torpedo 10 is launched, a yoke is provided comprising two arms25. and 26 pivoted respectively to the opposite ends of the posts 20 and21 curving rea-rwardly around the propeller structure. The outerjuxtaposed ends of these arms 25 and 26 receive between them an end ofthe antenna member 23, which is there pivoted to swing relative to theyoke.

For swinging the yoke from the inoperative to operative position, a coilspring 27 is provided having one end fast to the post 20 and its otherend fast to the yoke arm 25. A similar construction provides for theswinging of the antenna 22 to its operative position, there being a coilspring 28 one end of which is fast to the outer end of arm 25 while itsother end is secured to-the antenna member 23. The spring 28 ispreferably stiffer than the spring 27 so that, when the parts are in theposition shown in Fig. 1, the antenna structure will be held' close tothe torpedo body 10.

In order to provide self-releasing means for locking the antenna member23in its inoperative position, the torpedo body 10 is provided with arigid bracket 30 having a recess 31 arranged to receive a keeper 32,which is slidably mounted in open ended guides 33 carried by andprojecting axially from the member 23. The keeper 32 is fixed tolaterally projecting inclined vanes 34 which permit axial slidingmovement but prevent lateral movement. A spring 35 seats within theguides 33 and presses the keeper 32 outwardly into locking engagementwith the recess-31.

As a means for locking the yoke arms 25 and 26 in their operativerearwardly extending position, the post 21 has its outer end providedwith a recess 36 within which a lug 37 is arranged to seat, beingsnapped therein by the action of a spring 38. Normally the lug 37 ridesupon the end of the post 21 and only seats in the recess 36 when theyoke has swung to operative position to bring the lug 37 into registerwith tliesa'id recess 36.

A similar means is applied to the antenna member 23 comprising a recess40 formed in .the circular end portion 41 of the arm 26 with which a lug42 cooperates under the action of a spring 43. In inoperative positionof the parts, the lug 42 rides upon the surface of the portion 41 andthe parts are not locked together.

In the operation of the forgn of the invention shown the antenna member23 is normally held in the position shown in Fig. 1,

v 42 being out of their respective recesses.

The antenna member 23 rests flush with the torpedo body by the action ofthe stronger seen in Fig. 1, by the action ofthe springs 27 and 28 andalso by the action of the torpedo travelling through the water. Thisrotation Continues until the member 23, and the arms a and 26, reach theposition shown in Fig. 2,

and by dotte'd lines in Fig. 1, whereupon the spring lugs 37 and 42 snapinto the respective recesses 36 and 40, thus locking the parts inoperative position; The keeper 32 with the vanes 34 and the spring 35will slip out of i the guides 33 and be lost, while the torpedo 10 willcontinue to the endof its run with the antenna 22 in the operativeposition.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is z-- 1. Thecombinationwith a torpedo, of an antenna carried thereby and movable with respectthereto from a position upon one side of said torpedo to a position inthe rear of said torpedo, said antenna being arranged to be moved fromsaid first mentioned position to said second mentioned position as aresult of the movement of said torpedo.

2. In an antenna support, the combination of a torpedo, a yoke pivotedto said torpedo, an antenna pivoted to said yoke, means including aspring pressed keeper for locking said antenna in inoperative position,means including a vane exposed to contact with the water around saidtorpedo for releasing said keeper, and means for swinging said yoke andantenna to operative position when said keeper is released.

3. In an antenna support, the combination of a torpedo, a yoke pivotedto said torpedo, an, antenna pivoted to said yoke, means including aspring pressed keeper for locking said antenna in inoperative position,means including a vane exposed to contact with the water around saidtorpedo for releasing said keeper, means for swinging said yoke and tobring said antenna to operative position when said keeper is released,and means for locking said yoke'with said antenna in its operativeposition. I I

4. In an antenna support, the combination of a torpedo,'a yoke pivotedto said torpedo, an antenna pivoted to said yoke, means including aspring pressed keeper for locking said antenna in inoperative position,means including a vane exposed to contact with the water around saidtorpedo for releasing said keeper, means for swinging said yoke andantenna to operative position when said keeper is released, and meansfor locking said antenna to said yoke in its operative position.

5. In an antenna support, the combination of a torpedo, a yoke pivotedto said torpedo, an antenna pivoted to said yoke, means including aspring pressed keeper for locking said-antenna in inoperative position,means for holding said antenna in its inoperative position in closeabutting relation to. said torpedo, means for automatically releasingsaid keeper, and means -for swingingsaid yoke antenna to its operativeposition. Y

6. The combination with a torpedo, of an antenna pivotally carriedthereby and movable with respect thereto, means for swinging saidantenna to operative position, and means releasable by the movement ofthe torpedo through the water for retaining the antenna in inoperativeposition.

7. The combination with a torpedo, of an antenna carried thereby andmovable with respect thereto, means for moving said antenna to operativeposition, means releasable by the movement of the torpedo through thewater for retaining the antenna in inoperative position, and means forlocking said antenna in operative position.

'8. In combination with a torpedo, a pivoted antenna, means for causingsaid antenna to assume a horizontal position when released and detentmeans for normally holding said antenna in an inoperative position, saiddetent means being releasable by the movement of said torpedo through aliquid medium.

Signed at New York, in the county of New Yorkand State of New York, this16 day of March, 1921.

JOHN HAYS HAMMOND, J R.

